


Doubling Up

by innerslytherin



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-04
Updated: 2010-07-04
Packaged: 2017-10-10 09:35:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/98211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/innerslytherin/pseuds/innerslytherin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No one questioned what Dave's sleeping arrangements would be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Doubling Up

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [](http://sheryden.livejournal.com/profile)[**sheryden**](http://sheryden.livejournal.com/), who wanted this ficced. :D Thanks to [](http://severity-softly.livejournal.com/profile)[**severity_softly**](http://severity-softly.livejournal.com/) for the beta. **SPOILERS for "Exit Wounds".**

Dave shrugged out of his vest and hung it on one of the pegs provided for just that purpose. He actually quite liked the little Alaskan tavern, even if the others were still downstairs squabbling about who would room with whom. It had a cozy, hunting lodge feel to it, one that made Dave instantly comfortable. He liked the people around here too, aside from the grim knowledge that one of them was a psychopath. He unbuttoned his shirt and left it hanging open as he sat on the edge of the bed to remove his boots.

Behind him the door opened and closed, and Dave heard the bolt being turned and the chain sliding into place.

"Took you long enough," he remarked, and Aaron laughed.

"The others needed me there while they bickered out the sleeping arrangements, and Morgan made Penelope call Kevin and tell him about their arrangement before he would agree to it."

Dave snorted. "He'd have been better off just agreeing to sleep with Reid."

"He only said that because Reid gets so cold. He used to curl up on the jet sofa next to Morgan, and eventually he'd end up practically snuggling Morgan for warmth." The bed dipped as Aaron sat next to Dave. A moment later an arm slipped around Dave's waist. Dave's undershirt wasn't enough to keep him from flinching slightly at the cold of Aaron's fingers. "You'll let me snuggle for warmth, right?" Aaron murmured, his lips brushing Dave's jaw.

Grinning, Dave turned his head to kiss Aaron properly. "You'd better snuggle for warmth," he said. "Your hand's an icicle."

"Had to run out to the SUV. It's cooling down a lot out there."

"Mmm, you're such a hothouse flower." Dave rested his forehead lightly against Aaron's. "Don't worry, I'll keep you warm tonight."

Aaron smiled. "I'm counting on it." He kissed Dave, then pulled away to finish undressing.

"How did they end the sleeping arrangements?" Dave asked, curious. He shuffled sock-footed to the dresser, where a couple of real ceramic coffee mugs awaited them. His hip flask, engraved with "DJR 8-10-2008", provided a finger each of Eagle Rare bourbon. He carried the coffee mugs back to the bed and held one out to Aaron.

"Morgan's sleeping on Garcia's floor," Aaron said, rolling his eyes. "Reid gets a room to himself. JJ and Emily are sharing."

Dave shook his head. "Idiot. He'll regret that. He may be a hell of a lot younger than us, but he's getting closer to forty, and that floor isn't going to be kind to him."

"Try telling him that," Aaron said. He smirked. "It's sort of like trying to tell you something you don't want to hear."

"Hey," Dave grumbled. He sipped his bourbon.

Aaron pushed his shoes off and leaned back on the bed. "Your stubbornness is one of your endearing qualities, somehow."

Dave just glowered at him. He knew it was, but somehow it was simultaneously amusing and annoying that Aaron found it endearing. Dave had no idea why. But then again, he wasn't all that interested in inspecting it too closely. He and Aaron worked, in a fashion much healthier than Dave and any of his wives had tried to work. After another sip he set the mug on the bedside table and shucked his jeans. Folding them carefully, he put them on the chair, then folded his shirt on top of them. Shivering at the chill to the air, he hurried back to the bed and slipped under the covers.

"Get in here," he ordered, propping himself against the headboard.

Aaron actually grinned as he set his mug aside and finished undressing. "Yes, sir," he teased, flipping off the overhead light. He climbed in bed next to Dave and settled against him.

Dave was still breathless from that grin. As much as he loved Aaron, it was hard to see how rarely his lover smiled. When they'd first met seventeen years ago, Aaron had smiled all the time. He was still more serious than some of the men in the department, but he'd understood happiness. These days Dave had to work for a smile like that.

He slid his arms around Aaron. "God, I love you," he whispered.

Aaron sort of melted against him. "Every time you say that I wonder how I got so lucky."

"You mean how _I_ got so lucky," Dave said. He didn't say those words often--neither of them did. They both had a romantic nature, but they didn't need the words to make it real. Still, maybe Aaron needed the words more than Dave realized. He resolved to say it more often.

"You notice none of them even suggested sharing a room with one of us," Aaron said. He finished his bourbon and rested his head on Dave's shoulder.

"Why would they? It was a given we'd share." The team knew damn well that Dave and Aaron were together. They'd probably known before Aaron did, for that matter. Dave had been more than willing to be whatever Aaron needed him to be during the divorce from Haley. But once Aaron had begun to heal from he divorce, Dave had made his move. The whiskey flask had been a birthday present from Aaron and Dave's first real indication that Aaron knew what he was about, and that he felt the same way.

"Did you...has someone said something?" Aaron sounded hesitant.

Dave squeezed him. "Of course not. But they know. Trust me, we're okay." He had a feeling they'd been more relieved than anything. Dave wasn't a touchy-feely kind of guy, but he understood gentleness, and he'd done his best to help Aaron through the trauma that had been George Foyet. They were finally coming out of that, Aaron's nightmares slipping further away, Jack settling into life with Dave and Aaron. Dave wasn't about to let anything ruin this. Not now, not after so long.

He drained his whiskey and set the mug aside. "Come on, let's get some sleep," he murmured. "It's getting late."

They curled up together under the thick quilt and Dave kept his word about snuggling for warmth.  



End file.
